Top 5 Scenic Routes In North America

By Author: Insurance Hunter
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If life is more about the journey than the destination, it stands to reason that you’ll always want to journey in style. Fortunately, North America has more than its fair share of scenic routes, and here are the best among them:

1. The Trans-Canada Highway

As one of the world's longest national highways, with its main route spanning 8,030 kilometers, the Trans-Canada Highway is the lifeline that connects us from sea to shining sea. A trip along this road will take you from the Mile One Stadium in St. John’s, Newfoundland to Victoria, British Columbia with the potential for only a few hundred bathroom breaks along the way.

If you’re not up for a road trip across the entire country, the highlights you can find along its expanse in Ontario include the Terry Fox Courage Highway, the shores of Lake Simcoe, and the historical sites (and present-day casinos) of famous small towns like Orillia.

2. Route 66

Though it was formally de-certified from the U.S Highway System in 1985 (having been made largely obsolete by the Interstate Highway System) Route 66 still stands ...
... as the most famous roadway in North America.

The good news, however, is that large sections of it still remain accessible to drivers, as various states have designated their portions of it under the name “Historic Route 66”, or re-incorporated sections as part of their state road networks. Though there are too many attractions along the way to name here, Route 66 is generally an ideal sight for the U.S history buff, as the road is rich with the history of American migration.

3. The Pacific Rim Highway

Running from Tofino to Port Alberni in beautiful British Columbia, the Pacific Rim Highway offers a stunning display of the best that the province has to offer. With tons of twists and turns, you’ll have all the excuses you need to slow down and enjoy the wide variety of old-growth forests, beautiful beaches and spellbinding mountain ranges that run the length of its relatively short 130 kilometers.

Though there are multiple attractions available along the way, you’ll never get to where you’re going if you stop for all of them! With this in mind, you can get a good overall flavor for the full spectrum of breathtaking sights by stopping at Little Qualicum Falls, Cathedral Grove and Kennedy Lake.

4. The Overseas Highway

If you like your scenery to be as aquatic as possible, you can’t go wrong with The Overseas Highway – a 205 kilometer route that connects Miami, Florida to Key West, Florida in the only way that such a thing is possible: bridges, bridges, and more bridges.

Originally built to hold a railroad, the entire length of the highway offers an unparalleled view of the surrounding wilderness and seashore, and there may not be a better view of the sun coming up and going down anywhere in the world. Make sure to take note of the famous Seven Mile Bridge, along with the many other spots along the way that offer biking and walking trails.

5. The Blue Ridge Parkway

Running alongside the famous Blue Ridge range of the Appalachian Mountains, the Blue Ridge Parkway is the most popular section of the United States National Park System. It’s universally noted for the wide range of flora and other wildlife found along its path.

In addition to the enormous variety of trees, shrubs, plants and flowers you can observe while taking in the impressive mountains in the distance, historical American attractions such as Mabry Mill, Otter Creek and the Blue Ridge Music Centre offer insight into the rich Appalachian history of the region.

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AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY:

Insurance Hunter is an online auto insurance quote provider who offers Ontario residents with free access to auto insurance quotes. Click here for more information.